# Tag 26: Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya is the former capital of the Siamese kingdom. It was ruled here for a total of 417 years, with 33 different kings. Today, only ruins of the temples remain, as they were destroyed by Burmese troops in 1767.

Ayutthaya had a variety of temples (375), of which we visited the main temples. To get from one place to another quickly, we rented bicycles.

Our tour started at Wat Maha That. This temple was founded in 1374 and there is not much left except for the foundation walls.

The next stop was Wat Ratchaburana, which was built as a burial site for the two older brothers by the 7th king of Ayutthaya. The Prang at this temple is still very well preserved (thanks to restoration work), so it is the only Prang that you can climb up.

The 3rd stop was made at Wat Thammikarat. After a small donation of 20 baht per person, we were allowed to visit this temple, which consists only of a 'hall of ruins'.

Next, we went to Wat Phra Si Sanphet. This temple was built in 1448. Here, there are still 3 chedis remaining, which contain the ashes of deceased kings and a relic of Buddha.

Diagonally opposite is Wat Phra Ram. This temple was built in 1369 by the second king Ramesuan as a burial site for his father U-Thong, the founder of Ayutthaya.

To add some variety to the temple tour, the next stop was the reclining Buddha. This Buddha is resting under the open sky.

Enough of the island, the next Wat led us away from the old town. On the opposite side of the river is Wat Chaiwatthanaram. This complex was built in 1690 as a residence.

Our last stop was Wat Phuttai Sawan. Compared to the other complexes, this temple is very well preserved and all the Buddhas still have their heads (because in the other complexes, as a show of power, the heads of the Buddha statues were cut off). It is also said that the first settlement of King U-Thong before the founding of Ayutthaya was located here.

Ayutthaya is a fascinating city and especially compared to Bangkok, where all the temples are shiny and sparkling, it is a fascinating and historically significant place.

P.s. to Dad: you can look at ruins with me very well (unlike in Carthage).